That Thing Called Online Ticket Reservation*

07 February 2015

Antoinette Jadaone's That Thing Called Tadhana is the first movie I watched on the big screen this year. I know the movie has gained a lot of positive reviews but I still didn't want to expect too much because I've been burned by one too many local films already, but I ended up liking it a lot!

It has a simple premise: boy meets heartbroken girl, heartbroken girls tells woes to boy, heartbroken girl and boy go on a roadtrip so girl can "find herself again." What sets the movie apart are its lines that don't sound fake nor contrived, the palpable chemistry between the two main actors – JM de Guzman as Anthony and Angelica Panganiban as Mace, and its cinematography.

I watch Mace crying her heart out and I remember myself from The Major Heartbreak from four years ago. I never thought of killing myself, but it was like I lost the will to live. I was crying for a long time and felt empty for months. Even without directly telling me, I know I alienated people so I'm really thankful that my friends remained supportive. It felt like forever but finally, one day I woke up and Life looked beautiful again. I buried myself in my new job, met new people, and learned new skills. I became open to possibilities.

And that's why I don't judge when people tell me they are trying to cope with a broken heart. We treat problems differently so it's only expected that we have different ways of coping. I've dealt with a few minor heartaches after The Major Heartbreak, but, I don't know, I guess I'm stronger now, or at least more equipped to deal with bullshit.

If there's one thing to take away from this, it's that I refuse to be cynical.

*The title of this post concerns a humorous account of how we were able to get our hands on movie tickets, but I guess it's one of those stories where you had to be there to find it remotely funny. LOL.